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Azar: HHS to rewrite health care privacy rules

Congressional Quarterly (7/26, McIntire, Subscription Publication) reports that on Thursday, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said his department intends “to begin rewriting federal health care privacy regulations.” HHS will “release requests for comment on three laws, including the anti-kickback statute and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPPA, in the ‘coming months,’ Azar said during a speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation.” He added, “Following those requests for information, we will be taking regulatory action to reform these rules.” Azar explained that “the laws are decades-old and revamping them will help in the health care sector’s ongoing transition from paying for volume to value.” HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan will lead this effort.